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Install
child-resistant covers on all electrical outlets.
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Keep
dangerous chemicals out of children's reach.
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For strings
and ribbons, follow the six-inch rule.
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Always use a
safety belt on your baby when she is sitting in a bouncy seat or a swing.
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Shorten
curtain and blind cords.
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Place
furniture well away from windows.
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Use corner
bumpers on furniture and fireplace-hearth edges.
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Place
houseplants out of children's reach.
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Know the
names of all plants in case a child eats one of them.
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Keep
cigarettes, matches, and lighters out of children's reach.
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Safeguard
heating and gas systems against accidents.
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Be sure that
furnaces, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, space heaters, and gas appliances
are vented properly.
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Place
screened barriers around fireplaces, radiators, and portable space heaters.
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Install
carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning.
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Install smoke
alarms outside each bedroom and on every level of your home.
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Remove the
plastic end caps on doorstops or replace the stops with a one-piece design
to prevent choking.
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Consider
placing plastic guards along the hinge side of frequently used interior
doors to prevent the doors from pinching fingers.
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Safety-proof
windows and fire exits.
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Make a fire
evacuation plan and practice fire escape routes at least twice a year.
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Keep firearms
and ammunition safely locked away.
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Secure
unsteady furnishings.
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Avoid
household water hazards.
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Test homes
built before 1978 for lead paint.
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Learn first
aid and CPR.
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Hallways
and staircases:
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Avoid dark
hallways and rugs that slip.
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Safety-proof
stairs.
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If possible,
install carpeting on stairways to protect from falls.
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Kids'
rooms:
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Position your
child's crib away from all drapery, electrical cords, and windows.
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Make sure the
crib meets national safety standards.
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Make sure the
mattress fits snugly.
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Be sure the
crib sheet fits snugly.
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If you use a
crib bumper, make sure it's firm (not fluffy) and secured tightly with at
least six ties.
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Remove
mobiles and other hanging toys from the crib as soon as your child can reach
up and touch them.
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Place infants
under one year on their backs to sleep.
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Never use an
electric blanket in the bed or crib of a small child or infant.
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Place
night-lights at least three feet away from the crib, bedding, and draperies
to prevent fires.
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Always use a
safety belt on your infant when you have her on a changing table, and never
leave her unattended.
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Provide
padding for falls.
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Check age
labels for appropriate toys.
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Be vigilant
about choking hazards.
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Use side
railings for children just getting used to "big kid" beds.
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If bedrooms
are on second or third stories, be sure to have a fire-escape ladder in each
room.
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Bathroom:
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Put a lock on
the medicine cabinet.
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To prevent
poisoning, lock away all vitamins and medicines.
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Install
toilet-lid locks to prevent drowning.
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Lower the
household water temperature.
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Always test
the water first before bathing a child.
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Make sure
bathtubs and showers aren't slippery.
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Use
electrical appliances carefully.
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Install
ground-fault circuit interrupters on outlets near sinks and bathtubs.
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Never leave a
young child alone in the bathroom.
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Kitchen:
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Keep knives,
cleaning supplies, and plastic bags out of children's reach.
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To avoid
fires and burns, never leave cooking food unattended.
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If stove
knobs are easily accessible to children, use protective covers to prevent
kids from turning them.
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Teach your
kids how to respond to fire.
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When they're
not in use, unplug electrical appliances.
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Replace any
frayed cords and wires.
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Keep chairs
and step stools away from counters and the stove.
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Keep
activated charcoal (helps absorb some poisons) and syrup of ipecac (used to
induce vomiting) on hand.
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Beware of
foods that children can choke on.
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Yard:
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Store tools,
garden, and lawn-care equipment and supplies in a locked closet or shed.
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Don't use a
power mower to cut the lawn when young children are around.
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Don't allow
children to play on a treated lawn for at least 48 hours following an
application of a fertilizer or a pesticide.
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Know the
types of trees on the property in the event children ingest berries, leaves,
or other plant life.
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If you have a
swimming pool, install a fence (with an automatic childproof gate) that
separates the house from the pool.
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When you
barbecue outdoors, never leave kids unattended around the grill.
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Store propane
grills where children cannot reach the knobs.
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Other
resources for childproofing your home:
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To find
outlet covers, cord shorteners, cabinet latches, and toilet-lid locks, check
with your local hardware store.
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For
consumer-product and home-safety information, contact the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission.
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For details
about child and home safety, contact the National Safe Kids Campaign.
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For
information about child lead poisoning, read the "Lead Hazard Information"
pamphlet from the department of Housing and Urban Development.
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For
information about safe drinking water, contact the Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of Water.
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To
make sure that your home is a safe haven for your children - and you - learn
to spot and eliminate hazards throughout the house. This checklist will show
you how.
Register with ClubMom to customize this checklist by assigning due
dates, adding new tasks, scheduling email reminders, and more.